1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrode or an alkaline storage battery and a method of manufacturing the same. More particularly, it relates to an electrode which is useful for providing an alkaline storage battery having a long life and a method of manufacturing the same.
2. Description of the Background Art
In recent years, high-capacity alkaline storage batteries, such as a nickel-cadmium battery and a nickel-hydrogen battery have been employed as power sources or various electronic devices, particularly portable devices. In such a high-capacity alkaline storage battery, a cathode is generally prepared by charging a foam metal of nickel with an active material such as nickel hydroxide, for example, in order to improve the capacity.
A foam metal is generally prepared by a technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 57-39317 (1982), for example. According to this method, a porous body is provided with conductivity by coating a porous insulator with carbon or the like, and is then brought into close contact with a rotating feeder roll and dipped in a plating path, to be plated. The plated porous body is thereafter employed as a cathode and electroplating is performed from both surfaces, thereby forming a porous body consisting of a metal such as nickel, for example.
However, when an electrode that has been formed by charging a collector consisting of nickel with an active material is used in to an alkaline storage battery, the capacity of the battery is reduced if charge/discharge cycles are repeated under a high temperature. The cause for such a capacity reduction is not clearly understood.